<p><em>ELLENTON</em> - The 67-room Sleep Inn here has sold for $2.15 million, nearly $3 million less than it went for in 2006 at the height of the real estate boom.</p><p>Ellenton-based New Hampshire Partners LLC bought the property at 5605 18th St. E. from Vertical Assets Group of Ellenton LLC, a Sarasota company managed by Michael F. Ferro, records show.</p><p>Vertical assets paid $5.1 million for the hotel in March 2006.</p><p>New Hampshire Partners financed its purchase with a $2.13 million loan from First America Bank, records show.</p><p>Hotel sales have been fairly commonplace this year in the Southwest Florida real estate market.</p><p>In September, a Bradenton company sold the Best Western hotel on Cortez Road for $2.75 million, a relatively small loss from its purchase price last year.</p><p>Bradenton's Perfect Hospitality LLC sold the 49-room hotel at 2215 Cortez Road W. to Best Hospitality LLC, records show. The seller had paid $2.9 million for it in April 2011.</p><p>Despite a rebounding tourism industry, hotel owners have had a tough time in the wake of the Great Recession.</p><p>Because average room rates have remained depressed in some areas and costs stagnant, lenders have targeted a number of Southwest Florida lodging properties for foreclosure.</p><p>Last month, for example, Sarasota-based Sunny Enterprises of Florida LLC defaulted on a loan for $1.04 million loan against a 72-room hotel at 4800 N. Tamiami Trail.</p><p>The loan was originated by BB&T in April 2005 and sold to Summitbridge Credit Investments III earlier this year.</p>